Expectations
by TheLateNightStoryteller
Summary: A one shot about the beautiful bond between Fitz and Jemma and about the difficulties of not meeting people's expectations. Fitz is invited to his cousin's wedding who he doesn't exactly have a happy history with. Hoping to impress everyone, he asks Jemma to come along pretending to be his girlfriend. Agent's of S.H.I.E.L.D. belongs to its super creators and to ABC and Marvel.


"It would only be for the weekend," Fitz insisted.  
Jemma looked up impatiently from her microscope and fixed him with a stern gaze.  
"I don't see why you feel the need to lie about yourself for any period of time," she scolded. "You are S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, you should be _proud _of yourself."  
"I can't exactly go around telling people that can I?" he pouted.  
"You're also a brilliant scientist," Jemma pressed, "you can tell them that."  
"No one there is going to be able to understand what I do," Fitz argued, "my family... they aren't like you and me."  
"I'm sure your family is very proud of you," Jemma reassured him. "My parents don't understand everything I do but they've always been supportive."  
"Lucky you," he grumbled, slumping down miserably into the seat next to her, "I'm going to be Leo the egg head all over again. Leo the looser. Leo isn't good enough."  
Jemma watched her friend as he rested his chin on one hand and gloomily picked at some glue that had dried on the desk. He looked so dejected she couldn't help feeling a pang of sympathy.  
She'd heard him complain about his family's (especially his two older cousin's) teasing many times before and she suspected it upset him more than he let on, even to her.

"Alright," she sighed, shifting her attention away from her work, "say I pretend to be you're girlfriend, how is that going to help?"  
Fitz looked up hopefully "Well, because..." he stumbled for words, "if someone as... someone who... if a smart, nice girl like you _liked _me maybe...," he shrugged, "I wouldn't seem so pathetic.  
"So you want me to pretend you're my boyfriend to provide evidence to your family that you aren't pathetic," she inquired, frowning.  
He nodded.  
"Fitz-" she began.  
"I know," he interrupted sullenly, "it's a stupid idea."  
"It's not a horrible idea," she disagreed. "It is reasonable to assume that if your family observes someone who considers you an acceptable boyfriend they will themselves think you are an acceptable boyfriend. But Fitz, your family can't really think you're pathetic."  
"They do!" he insisted. "I'm the laughing stock of every gathering. It's unbearable!"  
Jemma heard the unhappiness in his voice and found she had no trouble believing him. She spun her chair so that she was facing him.  
"But why does it have to be me?" she asked.  
He seemed taken aback by the question, "Because you're my friend," he answered, "my best friend. I don't think I could tell...I don't think I could ask anyone else."  
"Exactly!" Jemma exclaimed, "I'm your best friend and you're mine! I don't want to be introduced to your family as someone else."  
"Oh," Fitz said, understanding, "I thought of that."  
He reached into his bag and took out what looked like a thin, white ski mask. He placed it over his head and pressed something on the side. A moment later Jemma found herself looking at the face of professor Vaughn.  
"Where did you get that," she breathed, standing to examine it.  
"I'm helping develop a new prototype," Fitz explained, "S.H.I.E.L.D. lent me this one to work off of."  
"It looks so real," she marveled, walking around him to take in the whole thing.  
"Ya but apparently some of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s enemies have found a way to deactivate them," he informed her. "There shouldn't be any of them at Cousin Daniel's wedding though." he jested.  
He took off the mask and stared at her hopefully, "so?"

Jemma sat back in her seat, considering his request. She understood what it was like to be picked on. Her love of homework had attract the attention of some unfriendly people in high school. She didn't want Fitz to have to face that alone, and she probably would have offered to come with him as herself had he not presented this plan to her. Besides it would be really fun to try out that mask.  
"Alright," she conceded, "I'll do it."  
He brightened, "You will?"  
"It could be fun," she admitted, "and it would be good practice for when we go undercover. Besides, I don't think I could take you moping about for the rest of the week." she teased.  
A huge grin spread across Fitz's face.  
"You are my favourite person," he exclaimed, leaping to his feet and hugging her.  
"Yes I know," she smiled, quickly returning the hug before pushing him away. "But I need to get back to work. It's going to be another late night for me I'm afraid."  
"What are you working on," Fitz asked as she returned to her microscope.  
"I have to be able to identify different kinds of chitauri tissue," she explained, "I have a test tomorrow. If I pass I may be cleared for field work."  
"Want me to quiz you?" he offered.  
"Yes please," she accepted gratefully.  
He didn't understand Jemma's sudden desire to work in the field; they were perfectly happy here weren't they? Even so it felt natural to help her, not only because she had just agreed to do him a gigantic favour, but because it was what they always did. They helped each other.

The two of them stayed up well into the morning hours, Jemma going over everything she thought might possibly come up on the test and Fitz assisting her when he could. When he couldn't he kept both of them fueled with snacks from the hall vending machine. They were both rather found of M&Ms. Strangely though, Jemma refused to eat the yellow ones. She told him that something about the colour made them unappetizing. Fitz usually traded her his orange ones for them, or his green if he was out of orange. He liked to joke that if there actually was anything off about the yellow ones he was in trouble because he ate so many of them.  
By the time the sun rose, they were both exhausted but satisfied with the progress they'd made. Fitz had even managed to use some of the time to work on the blueprint for his new stun gun. He wished Jemma luck, returned home and promptly fell asleep.

They landed at the airport shortly after 7pm. Jemma skidded off to the bathroom to put on the mask before they met Daniel at the baggage claim.  
Fitz waited outside for only a few minutes before she re-emerged. He would not have recognized the person who came bouncing up to him had they not tried out Jemma's disguise beforehand. He hair was jet black and the features of her face were no longer familiar to him.  
"This is pretty exciting," she laughed, touching her face, "taking on a secret identity. I wonder if this is how Iron Man felt when he had one."  
"Probably," he nodded, laughing with her.  
At that moment, despite the change in her face, he couldn't help seeing his friend. The happy, enthusiastic voice could belong to no one else and the way she held herself along the delighted sparkle in her eyes seemed to scream Jemma so loudly that he wondered how anyone wouldn't know it was her.  
_'It's just because you know her,' he told himself, 'you know what to look for and you know it's her so you expect to see it.'_  
Reassured, he scooped up their carry-on bags.  
"C'mon he," he said, "Let's go meet Daniel."

Fitz's cousin Daniel greeted them jovially beside the revolving belt of suitcases.  
"Glad you could make it Leo," he exclaimed giving him a hearty squeeze. "And who is this?"  
"Emma Cadbury," Jemma informed him, shaking his hand. "So very nice to meet you. Leo has told me so much about you!"  
"She's my girlfriend," Fitz added, casting a nervous sideways look at Jemma who nodded perhaps a bit too enthusiastically.  
"Cadbury?" Daniel chuckled, "like the chocolate?  
"Oh...umm...no" Jemma said, "well yes that is my name, but I'm not a chocolatier... I'm a...a doctor?" she finished awkwardly.  
Daniel raised an eyebrow and looked back and forth between Jemma and Fitz. "Are you asking me or telling me?" he inquired.  
"Telling," Jemma and Fitz said together.  
His grin returned. "Well great!" he exclaimed as Fitz managed to grab their suitcases and hoist them off the rotating belt. "Maybe you could take a look at Uncle Rory later, if you don't mind. He has the strangest thing growing on his neck."  
"That sounds fascinating," Jemma replied, looking genuinely interested.  
Daniel took their suitcases, insisting when Fitz tried to refuse, and led them to the car.  
"How'd the two of you meet?" he inquired over the click, clack of suitcase's wheels on the pavement.  
The two of them exchanged a flustered look and Fitz reflected that they really should have planned some sort of back story beforehand.  
"At school," Jemma improvised quickly, "F-...Leo asked to sit next to me in the cafeteria, I think he already had a bit of a crush on me. We started talking and, well, we clicked." she giggled awkwardly and wrapped an arm around his shoulder for added effect.  
Fitz giggled too, it felt strange.  
"We'll lucky for Leo you liked him too," Daniel winked at her. "At least you don't have a lot of competition."  
"That isn't funny Dan," Fitz grumbled.  
Daniel chortled and nudged his younger cousin playfully.  
"Oh c'mon Leo," he said, "you know I'm right."  
"I had competition," Jemma protested loyally. "there was that girl...um... Mia from... biophysics class... I had to fight her. Actually fight her... in the parking lot. She brought a knife. I didn't think that was fair."  
Daniel paused for a moment mid-step with a shocked expression on his face. Then he burst out into roaring laughter.  
"I like you," he managed between breaths, "you're funny. Haha, in the parking lot."  
"Thanks for trying," Fitz whispered.

Daniel drove them to the hotel where they would stay until the wedding. The building was only two floors and looked out over a field of rolling hills. Daniel explained that he and his fiancé, Marry, adored the country side. They had looked at seven different hotels before deciding on this one because of the beautiful landscape.  
There were even a few sheep wandering around in the distance and it looked like it would have been a peaceful, quite place if the entire Fitz family had not been staying there.  
The family was a rambunctious bunch. Even before they reached the doors they heard yelling and roars of laughter emanating from the inside. They were hugged by no less than twenty people (likely more) and Fitz had to explain to each of them that his mum not coming because she was vacationing in Australia with an old friend. They had been planning the trip for years and had already bought their tickets when the wedding invitations had been sent out.  
When both him and Jemma had been sufficiently squeezed, poked, pinched and slapped on the back Daniel led them up to their room to unpack.

"I am not going to survive the weekend!" Fitz moaned, collapsing onto the couch after Daniel had left.  
"I can go get some ice." Jemma offered," I know how you have sensitive skin, you are probably going to bruise where Uncle Rory hit you." she fussed.  
"Not that! My skin is fine," Fitz asserted, sitting up. "Did you hear Auntie Muriel? She wanted to know how many toasters I've built! _Toasters! _They think I work in bloody factory!"  
"They aren't so bad," she assured him, sitting down next to him "your aunt gave me a toffee." she opened her hand to show him, "and at least they're friendly."  
"Of course they're nice to _you_," Fitz sighed, "you're a doctor _and _you have the same name as chocolate bar company!"  
"I do like the name Emma Cadbury," Jemma said.  
"It's a great undercover name," Fitz agreed.  
She grinned at him and he felt a bit better. He was glad she was here.  
They ordered room service because they had missed dinner with the Fitz family, chowed down on deep fried pizza and watched cartoons for few hours. Then they brushed their teeth and took turns using the washroom to put their pyjamas on.

When they were ready to sleep, Fitz offered Jemma the bed.  
"It's only fair, since I made you come here." he pointed out fairly.  
"No one needs to sleep on the floor," she objected, "it's a fine sized bed."  
"But..." Fitz said, seeming confused, "you're a girl."  
She raised an eyebrow, "So?"  
"So, isn't there some sort of rule?" he wondered.  
"So you don't accidently roll onto my side and magically spread your boy cooties?" she teased. "It's a hard floor," she added, stamping her foot a few times.  
Fitz looked at the floor. It did seem very unappealing.  
"It is a large bed," he conceded. "And it looks so nice and soft."  
"There you go," Jemma said as she opened the closet and reached up for the extra blanket.  
"Here," she said handing it to him, "you can even have your own blanket."  
Fitz took it gratefully and they settled down beside each other.  
It wasn't as strange as he thought it would be. They lay on their sides, facing each other, and talked for another few hours about everything from the man in the suit who sat across from them on the plane to their favourite childhood games. Fitz had a few stories about his cousins that Jemma thought must have been exaggerated. Kids weren't that mean were they?  
They chatted until they were so tired that what they were saying didn't make sense anymore and everything made them giggle. The word salsa became hilarious. Only when neither of them could manage to keep their eyes open did they let sleep pull them away.

There was a party the next morning before the wedding. It was a very informal event so no suits or gowns were required. The entire family was spread out over the great green field outside the hotel. It was sunny, there was nice music and everyone thought Jemma was fantastic; especially Uncle Rory who had his strange neck growth finally identified. She seemed to be having a good time, telling stories of the strange things she'd found in tissue samples at the lab (obscuring some of the details of course) and laughing at Auntie Mauriel's jokes. For a brief moment, Fitz was enjoying the day. Then Uncle Larry took out a football.  
"Would you like to join us for a game of football?" he offered.  
"That sounds like fun," Jemma accepted cheerfully.  
Fitz frowned.  
"Leo is afraid of the ball," Phillip explained dismissively, when Uncle Larry seemed confused by his nephew's lack of enthusiasm.  
"I am not!" Fitz retorted indignantly. "I'll play."  
"It does hurt getting hit by it," Jemma whispered consolingly when the other's were out of earshot.  
"I am not afraid," Fitz repeated, irritably, "just because I have the sense _not _to let myself get hit in the face Phillip paints me as a bloody coward."  
"They're going to kick the ball at our faces?" Jemma fretted.  
"Don't worry," he assured her, giving her a quick pat on the shoulder, "they'll be nice to you because you're a guest."  
"Well I don't want them going easy on me," she said.  
"Oh they won't," Fitz warned. "And you shouldn't worry about being too soft on them either."  
"I was actually rather good as a kid," she let him know.  
"Good," he smiled encouragingly at her, "Let's hope we're on the same team."

They were indeed on the same team, Daniel had thought Jemma would be more comfortable playing with someone she knew.  
It started out pleasant enough. Jemma was fantastic. She weaved easily around the other team and kicked the ball over to Auntie Muriel who managed to score a goal on Uncle Rory, causing an enormous cheer from both teams.  
"That was my first assist in five years," she exclaimed breathlessly, a very Jemma-like grin on the unfamiliar face as they jogged back towards the centre.  
"You could have just kicked it in yourself and scored," Fitz said.  
"It's a team sport Fitz," she reminded him. "It's more fun when we all work together."

Uncle Larry, who was acting as the referee, whistled loudly and they once again scrambled for the ball. This time Phillip, who was on their team, managed to steal the ball and kicked it hard towards Fitz. It launched into the air and rocketed straight towards his face. Letting out a cry of surprise, he ducked and it soared over him past the red cup that marked the out of bounds line.  
"Well I guess I shouldn't have expected anything else," Phillip jeered as Daniel, on the opposing team, retrieved the ball and placed it next to the cup so he could kick it back into play.  
Fitz felt his ears turn red but said nothing.  
"Are you sure you don't want to switch teams?" he asked Jemma.  
"It _would_ be nice to play with people who know how to pass," she retorted tersely.  
"It was only a joke," Phillip muttered, turning his attention back to Daniel.  
"Thanks," Fitz mouthed, when she looked his way.  
She imitated Phillip kicking the ball, exaggerating how high his foot flew into the air, and Fitz chuckled.

The game began once more with the other team keeping the ball this time and managing to score. Again both teams cheered. Jemma was by far the best player on the team, except Daniel who she was only slightly better than, however she made sure everyone got to play. Fitz even managed to get an assist of his own. He forgot about Phillip's unkind comment and once again was enjoying himself.  
"Anyone want an orange slice," Auntie Beatrice called, walking over with a large tray of delicious looking wedges.  
Fitz was about to answer yes when he felt a hard, painful impact on the side of his head. It knocked him off his feet and he sat on the ground stunned, his head spinning and his face throbbing with a sharp pain. He may have blacked out for a moment but he wasn't sure.  
"Oh dear," Aunt Beatrice exclaimed, putting down her tray.  
"Fitz!" Jemma cried, scrambling over to him and landing on her knees beside him with a thud.  
"Fitz are you alright?" she demanded, placing a hand on his should to stop him when he tried to stand up.  
"My eye really hurts," he said quietly so only she could hear.  
She carefully lifted his chin so she could see it better.  
"I don't think the eye itself has been damaged," she assessed after examining it quickly, "but the area around it looks pretty painful," she added sympathetically.  
"What's the problem?" Daniel shouted from the other side of the field.  
"Leo can't take a hit to the head," Phillip taunted.  
Daniel threw his arms in the air impatiently, "C'mon Leo, stop being such a baby."  
"You did that on purpose," Fitz accused Phillip, feeling slightly less dizzy now.  
"I was trying to pass it to you," Phillip shot back, "It isn't my fault you can't play sports. Just get up, it's only a small bruise."  
Fitz opened his mouth to reply but before he could Jemma rounded on Phillip.  
"It could be more than a small bruise," she raged, stalking towards him, "you could have given him a concussion firing the ball at his head like that! What is wrong with you? You could really hurt someone! You could have killed him!"  
Phillip took a step back, looking startled at her outburst. He glared at Fitz.  
"You are such a pathetic looser," he hissed, "this _always _happens. You ruin our fun because you can't go ten minutes without hurting yourself."  
Jemma said something in reply but Fitz wasn't listening. He felt embarrassed and ashamed. He was twelve years old again, sitting in the dirt and ruining everything because he was such a weakling.  
"I'll just go then," he muttered, getting shakily to his feet.  
"What?" Jemma wiped around, "Go where? You can't leave. What if you do have a concussion?"  
"I don't," he said firmly.  
"You can't know that." she replied walking towards him.  
"Let him go," Phillip shrugged, "we'll play better without him."  
Jemma glared at him. The rest of the family looked uncomfortable but said nothing.  
Fitz ran. He didn't know where he was going but he knew didn't care. Anywhere would be better than where he was.  
He stumbled and his cousins mocking laughter flapped after him like angry magpies. Tears formed in his eyes and he forced himself to get up again and continue running even though the world had started to spin again.  
Jemma called after him but he didn't stop. He had to get away.

"Fitz!" Jemma called but he didn't stop. She watched him disappear out of sight behind one of the grass covered hills.  
"Why do you call him Fitz?" Phillip scoffed.  
She felt a wave of fury as she turned to face him. She wanted to hit him but she didn't. Instead she shot him one last furious look and sprinted off after her friend.

Jemma found him sitting cross legged behind the hill tying tiny pieces of grass together. He appeared defeated and somehow smaller than he actually was, as if he had retreated into himself. He didn't look at her.  
"Hey," she said softly, settling down next to him and removing her mask. She didn't like her knew face anymore.  
"Hey," he replied quietly.  
He turned his head towards her and she saw his eye was swollen and already beginning to turn an angry red.  
"You should put some ice on that," she advised, gently turning his face towards her so she could get a better look.  
"I'm fine." he mumbled, not meeting her gaze.  
"No you're not," she disagreed, no longer discussing his injury.  
He shrugged and went back to his grass knots.  
"I don't think you're bothered that your family doesn't understand what you do." she told him, hoping he was listening. "I think what upsets you is that they think you're weak. And that hurts you, because you think they're right."  
Fitz sniffed but said nothing. She felt her heart break for him. How could he agree with them?  
"But they're wrong," she said firmly. "You aren't weak Fitz. You are incredibly intelligent, that is its own kind of power. And you are brave, loyal and kind and the best friend I have ever had. You made it through the academy. You are an agent. All that takes a lot of strength, much more than winning a stupid football game. You're amazing and it's sad that they can't see that."  
Fitz turned back to her and she saw there were tears in his eyes. Leaning forward to cover the space between them, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. She returned the embrace and felt his warm tears on her cheek.  
They didn't say anything; they didn't need to. After a minute Fitz pulled away, wiping his eyes.  
"You're pretty amazing yourself," he whispered and Jemma was relieved to see a smile light his face. "And the best friend_ I_ have ever had." he touched her cheek lightly, "I love you."  
"I love you too," she said, taking his hand.  
"You are an incredibly supportive fake girlfriend," he joked.  
She laughed, "I do my best."

It was a while before Jemma convinced Fitz to go back to the party. She adamantly refused to go back without him, worried he may have a concussion and not wanting to leave him alone when he was so upset. She avoided talking about his injury because he seemed embarrassed about it. Instead she lured him with talk of orange slices and mini-cupcakes. Eventually he agreed to return with her.  
She slid her mask on, took his hand and led him back to his family and he realized he could follow her into this. He could follow into anything.

**Fun Background**

A huge thanks to everyone who read and/or reviewed my other stories (though since they are all Harry Potter I dunno how many will cross over into this fandom). But you rock! And so do the people reading this one! Hugs for everyone!

I edited this story long after I published it so that Fitz mentions his mom and not his parents because we found out that he was raised by his mom.

I apologize if Fitz' family doesn't sound very Scottish or if I got anything really wrong about the climate, food, how they talk etc... I found deep fried pizza on google and I really want to try it someday.

I got inspiration for Fitz' family from my own. My family is loud and rowdy and sometimes they say inappropriate things that make me really embarrassed (like will you look at this growth on my neck for me) or (mostly unintentionally) make me feel bad about myself. The bullying part is more intense in his family though. I remember fighting with my cousins and we could really push each other's buttons but not like the way I wrote Daniel and Phillip.  
I think people like them do exist though, and Fitz does seem to have feelings of inadequacy that may have started in his childhood. And they also may have possibly stemmed from the way some parts of society look down on men who are 'weak' a.k.a. not strong in the way they expect them to be. (That was part of the inspiration for the title _Expectations_).

I only realized after writing this story that Phillip has the same name as Phil Coulson.

I made Jemma excellent at football (or soccer as we call it in Canada) because even though it has never been said that she is good at it has also never been mentioned that she isn't. So why not?  
Also I don't know if it is the same in Scotland but for some reason whenever we play soccer here we have orange slices (at least for me growing up). I don't know why but they always pop up.


End file.
